Speaking clock



July 29, 1952 DELGADQ 2,604,752

SPEAKING CLOCK Filed April 9, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 I INVEVTOR.

i B}; Madr July 29, 1952 D. DELGADO 2,604,752

SPEAKING CLOCK Filed April 9, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 UIJIT'IIIIUUUIIIJUIJDUUIJDIJ INVENTOR.

Patented July 29, 1952 SPEAKING CLOCK Domingo Delgado, Habana, Cuba Application April 9, 1946, Serial No. 660,833 In Cuba March 8, 1943 3 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of reproducing sound at pre-determined intervals under the control of a clock, and in its more specific aspects it relates to an apparatus of this character which is entirely automatic in operation.

It is an object of this invention to provide a sound reproducing mechanism in. which the sound is carried on a film and electronically picked up therefrom for reproduction, the film also carries means for controlling certain circuits within the apparatus whereby the operation of the apparatus is regulated.

A further object of this invention resides in an apparatus of this character which is relatively inexpensive to operate and is automatic in operation requiring no attention except when a change of film is made to reproduce different sounds.

These and other objects, as will hereinafter appear, are accomplished by this invention which is described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a wiring diagram of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a schematic showing of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a section of the film strip.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the film and showing certain of the switches controlled thereby.

'In practicing my invention I use any desirable type of clock mechanism havingthe usual minute hand axle I for rotating the minute hand in of the clock. A cam wheel 2 is fixed on axle l for rotation therewith and is provided on its periph cry with circumferentially spaced cam projections 2a. Within the clock I mount in any suitable manner a pivot pin 4 pivotally carrying a pawl 3 and an integral arm 3a. The pawl is mounted to project in position in the path of projections 2a while arm 3a extends at an angle relative to the pawl, the arm being provided with notches 52 and 53 on the under surface thereof. An upstanding lever 5 is mounted on pivot pin 6 fixed within the clock, the lever 5 extending upwardly into notch 53. Lever 5 is provided with a projection I4 while arm 3c is provided with a similar projection l.

An insulating blockv 55 carries two electrical contact members 8a and 8b extending therefrom,

[5b and [5c are provided on members a and I5.

The electric contact members 8a, 8b, l5 and 15a are connected into the electrical circuits of the apparatus at H2, H, I! and I8, respectively.

As cam 2 rotates the cam projections 2a will rock pawl 3 and arm So on pivot 4 releasing lever 5 from notch 53 whereupon it will move under the tension exerted by flexed contact member 15 into notch 52 whereupon contact points i512 and 150 will close. Likewise arm 3a will rock downwardly and contact points 8 and 80 will close.

An electro-magnet 48 which is connected into the electric circuits of the apparatus at 62 and i3 is disposed adjacent the lever 5 and upon excitation of the magnet the lever is attracted from position in notch 52 into notch 53 and contacts [52) and IE0 are opened. The controlling means for the electro-magnet will be explained hereinafter. It will bev apparent that when lever 5 is in notch 53 contacts 8 and 80 will be open.

Combined in the circuit is an electronical amplifier I9 and a loudspeaker 20. A photoelectric cell 2| sends the signal to the amplifier which it receives from film 24, the numeral 22 designating an exciter tube and 23 any suitable optical system. Thus the film 24 is scanned as it moves past the pick up device.

The film 24 is carried on reels and El, the movement of the film being produced by means of sprocket wheels 25 which are rotated by a reversible synchronic motor, the direction of rotation of the motor being controlled by a pair of double relays 31 and 38 in a manner to be here inafter made clear. The operative connection between the motor and sprockets may be of any conventional type.

The film is formed with a slot or perforation 2! at one end thereof for stopping the motor 36 when the film end is reached. A further slot or perforation 30 is provided at a pre-determined position in the strip for controlling the operation of magnet 43 as will be explained, while a further slot or perforation 35 is formed in film at the other end for stopping the motor when that end of the film is reached.

When the electric contacts 8 and 5c are closed the motor 35 commences operating and the film strip moves. The amplifier I9 is in operation due to closing of contacts I5?) and H30 and the film is scanned and the sound is reproduced. I pro vide three rollers 28, 3| and 33 which roll on the film as it passes. The rollers are mounted on arms 33a which pivotally. extend from a sup porting framework 2801.. Each arm carries, an upstanding pin 31a. thereon. The supporting framework 28 carries 3 sets of electrical connecting strips designated in their entirety by the numeral 34 and the set for roller 33 includes a lower strip 34b having a contact 340 thereon and an upper strip 34d having a contact 34a thereon. The set of strips for roller 3|, includes a lower strip 311) having a contact 310 thereon and an upper strip 3|d having a contact 3le thereon, while the set of strips for roller 28 includes a lower strip 28b having a contact 280 thereon and an upper strip 28d having a contact 28c thereon. The strips extend over arms 33a, there being one set over each arm, and the upper strip of each set extends over a pin 3m and is upwardly fiexed thereby so that the upper and lower contacts are separated and the circuit controlled thereby is open.

As the film strip moves with the rollers in contact therewith one of the slots on the film will be under whichever roller is aligned therewith. When the roller falls in the slot the arm 33a and pin am will fall and the upper and lower contacts of a particular circuit will be closed and a certain operation performed. The particular circuits and controls and the entire operation of the apparatus will now be explained in detail.

Upon examination of Fig. 1 of the drawings, cam 2 is illustrated with its angular cam projections, the cam being fixed on axle I, which as I have pointed out, is the minute hand axle of the clock, and hence, makes a complete turn at every hour in its rotation in the direction of the arrow. As the cam rotates the cam projections engage the pawl 3 which pivots upon the pin 4 to raise the arm 3a so that the lever 5 is released from notch 53. The lever swings inwardly into the notch 52 under the tension of the flexed-electrical connecting strip l5,so'that'the electric contacts [5b and I50 come together andclose the circuit which connects the amplifier 19 into the electric power supply line. As the cam continues to rotate the pawl 3 is left free and out of contact with the periphery of the cam so that the arm 3a may drop to close the contacts 8 and 80 which closes the circuit and puts the synchronic motor 38 into th electric power supply line. When these two operations of circuit closing have been completed, the motor 36 begins operating and drives the sprocket wheels to cause the film strip to move, and to be scanned as it passes the electronic pick-up device, includingthe photoelectric cell. The sounds which' are photographed on the film are picked up and the signals sent to the amplifier l9 which amplifies and reproduces the sounds'by' means of the loudspeaker 2il. The film strip 21 continues tomove at a uniform speed until one of the slots on the film, such as 30, passes under the roller 3|. When this occurs the roller 3| drops down or lowers and closes the electric circuit'by engagement of the electric contacts 310 and34c. The closing of this circuit connects the electro-magnet 43 with direct current which is supplied by the dry rectifier 47. Since the electro-magnet 48 is excited the lever 5 is attracted thereto out of its position in notch 52in arm 3a and into its confined position in notch 53, whereupon the elec tric circuit controlled by contacts 8 and 8c and 51) and 150 are all opened, whereupon the'operation of the motor 36 will stop the amplifier l9 will be disconnected from the supply line and of course the film strip will stop. It is to be understood that the magnet will be deenergized after the motor stops running for the inertia of the moving film strip will cause it to travel suinciently to move the slot beyond roller 3| so that contacts 310 and 3Ie will be separated and the circuit to the magnet opened. The operation will be repeated just as soon as the next cam projection 3a has moved into position contacting and moving pawl 3.

When the film strip reaches its end a slot 35 will pass under the aligned roller 33, the roller lowering and closing its particular contact points 34a and 340. The closing of this circuit will put one of the double relay coils 38 into the direct current line which supplies the dry rectifier 41, which will attract in the direction of the arrow the armatures of the relay and this will close the electric contacts 39, 41, 43 and 44 to thereby reverse the rotation of motor 36 which will cause the film strip to be rewound on empty spool or reel 50 (see Fig. 2) While the film strip is being rewound on one of the spools the electric circuits are closed by means of the electric contact 43 which keeps the circuit of the coil of double relay 31 closed until a slot 21 in the film 24 which is disposed thereon at the other end of the film strip is reached and is under an aligned roller 28, which will drop or lower and open the elec tric contacts 280 and 28a which are connected in series with contacts 43 of relay 3! to thereby disconnect that relay from the circuit. The armature of the relay will consequently return to its original position opening the anterior contacts and closing the contacts 40 and 42, that reverse the rotation of the motor 36 and stop the opera tion thereof by opening the electric circuits 39, 4|, 43 and 44. This operation being complete all is then in readiness to repeat the entire operation when the cam again moves the pawl 3.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism of the class described, a continuous strip having a sound record thereon, means for propelling the strip, photo-electric means for picking up the sound recorded on the strip and electric amplifying means therefor, a clock mechanism operable to start the operation of the means for propelling the strip and to connect the photo-electric means and the amplifying means into the electric current supply line, a switch controlling the operation of the propelling means for said strip and a further switch controlling the operation of the photo-electric pick up means and amplifier and said clock mechanism including a cam and an element actuated thereby, said element operatively associated with each of said switches to control the operation of the propelling means. and the photo-electric pick up means and amplifier.

2. In a mechanism of the. class described, a continuous strip having a sound record thereon, means for propelling the strip, photo-electric means for picking up the sound recorded on the strip and electric amplifying means therefor, a clock mechanism operable to start the operation of the means for propelling the strip and to connect the photo-electric means and the amplifying means into the electric current supply'line, a pair of switches, one controlling the electric circuit to said propelling means and the other controlling the electric circuitto said photo-electric means and said amplifier, a pivoted arm operably associated with said switch controlling the photoelectric and amplifiermeans, the arm in one position holding the switch open and in another position permitting the switch to close, and said clock mechanism including a cam and" an ele ment actuated thereby, said element in one position in engagement with the arm to releasably maintain the switch controlled thereby in open position and said element operable by the cam to release said arm to position closing the switch, and said element operatively associated with said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Brunner Apr. 25, 1922 Galbraith Oct. 11, 1932 Kiel Dec. 29, 1936 Solberg Dec. 6, 1938 Smith July 16, 1940 Walsh May 15, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Nov. 8, 1937 

